If you don't know... Marcia Johnson
Let me introduce you!
Marcia Johnson is a playwright, librettist and actor, born in Jamaica, who emigrated to Canada when she was six, and is currently based in Toronto, where she’s been working as a theatre artist for over thirty years.
After studying acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in California, she honed her skills in writing seminars with American playwright Natalie Goldberg in New Mexico.
She has adapted to Canadian literary works for stage: including Binti’s Journey, an adaptation of the teen fiction novel, The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis, and Courting Johanna, based on a short story by Alice Munro entitled Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage (buy the play text).
Obsidian Theatre produced her play Late and her most recent play, Serving Elizabeth, premiered in February 2020 at Western Canada Theatre. Read a recent interview Marcia gave about her writing process and the show.
The short opera, My Mother’s Ring, for which she wrote the libretto, with composer Stephen A. Taylor, was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award. Their second collaboration, Paradises Lost, based on the Ursula K. Le Guin novella, had concert performances at The Gershwin Hotel (NYC) and premiered at University of Illinois.
Marcia has also written for CBC Radio Drama and as an actor she’s appeared on stage all across Canada.
During the pandemic, Marcia has been reading children's books (115 and counting) for adults and children to share via her Facebook page!
She works with several organisations to support members of the theatre community including:
Got Your Back Canada (core member)
Women Playwrights International (senior advisory board)
CASA (founding member)
Ergo Arts Pink Fest (selection committee, dramaturg, actor)
Follow Marcia on Twitter.
—
Photo credit: Joanna Haughton